Lunch: Baked Mac 'N Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Duck Sausage

Ingredients

1 pound or 500 g rotini pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 red onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Pinch sea salt
1 cup cured duck sausage, diced
1 cup milk
1 cup half-and-half
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup brie cheese, rind removed
1 cup grated 5-year old Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Friulano or Fontina cheese
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter
Pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Parboil the rotini pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, and strain. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add the sliced onions and a pinch of sea salt to the pan and saute for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and saute for another 35 minutes, or until caramelized. Render the sausage in a dry pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until crispy bits form. Add milk, half-and- half, caramelized onions, sea salt, and ground pepper and bring to a boil. The second the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the Cheddar cheese, Friulano cheese, and bay leaf and stir until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix the cooked rotini pasta with the cheese sauce and transfer into a baking dish. Top with the panko bread crumbs, drizzle with melted butter and broil for a few minutes, or until the panko is golden brown and the edges crisp up.

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